3D SCANNING

3D scanning – what does it work?

In these times, when technology has a huge impact on our reality, we spend most of our time in the virtual world, which in many cases is where we work. It also allows us to acquire new knowledge, maintain social contacts and provide entertainment at an unprecedented level. Year after year, we create new technologies and inventions that directly influence the increasing digitization of our reality. A prime example is 3D scanning. It is a technology with a relatively short history, but it is already indispensable in engineering and in many other industries and fields. If you decide to read this article to the end, you will learn what 3D scanning is and how it works.

What is a 3D scanner?

A 3D scanner is a specialized optoelectronic device that allows you to accurately analyze any object, construction or even the environment to obtain the data necessary to create a 3D digital model. Nowadays, the industry is growing rapidly, so a number of manufacturers, offering various devices that allow 3D scanning, have increased. They differ in class, performance parameters and functionalities. Reputable companies that offer 3D scanning services operate exclusively on professional equipment, such as the devices of the Aicon brand (Hexagon Group), which offer extremely precise 3D scanning thanks to blue-light-structure scanning technology. The brand’s devices are also equipped with many other contact or non-contact solutions, which have a significant impact on the comfort and efficiency of work. Aicon scanners have high-resolution monochrome or color cameras and laser pointers to quickly determine the position of the scanner relative to the object. Thanks to their automatic table, fast and efficient 3D scanning is possible, as their modular design has a compact shape and low weight, so they are ideal for measurements in the field as well as indoors.

How does the 3D scanning process work?

3D scanning is the process of collecting a large number of point coordinates from a real object and transferring them to virtual reality. The resulting point cloud is processed in Optocat software where the points are connected with lines, resulting in a polygonal model created from a grid of triangles. This is a simplified definition, because in reality there are many 3D scanning technologies that differ significantly from each other. They can be classified according to the following categories:

• Contact technology – in this case, specialized equipment performs 3D scanning of an object by physical touch, involving the placement of the object on a polished measuring plate. If the surface of the workpiece prevents stable placement on the measuring plate, then clamping fixtures are used.
• Non-contact active technology – involves the use of active 3D scanners that emit light, ultrasound or X-rays and then detect the reflections or radiation passing through the object under examination.
• Non-contact passive technology – is the opposite of active technology. In this case, the device performing the 3D scan does not emit its own light, but analyzes natural ambient light. The price of 3D scanning with this technique is the lowest, because in most cases it is unnecessary to invest in specialized equipment.

3D scanning and 3D scanner – price

3D scanning is a high-tech field, but due to the intensive development of the industry, the price of services is decreasing year after year. New companies offering 3D scanning services and selling scanners keep appearing on the market. However, i many cases they rely on cheap, low-quality equipment, which negatively affects the quality of services. Our company, unlike the competition, has a professional 3D scanner of the highest quality with dedicated software for data processing and post-processing. The equipment offered by our company is thus more effective, efficient and faster in operation. If you are interested in the exact prices of 3D scanning services or in purchasing 3D scanners of the renowned Aicon brand, we invite you to contact us and encourage you to carefully analyze our offer. We are one of the few companies operating nationwide that offer comprehensive 3D scanning. At B3D you will find a satisfying offer, providing very good value for money.

Structured light scanning as a modern 3D scanning method – why should you choose it?

A 3D scanning method, such as structured light scanning, is worth using primarily because of its speed and precision. In this case, we can count on accuracy oscillating even within a few tens of micrometers. Looking objectively at scanning services, with the help of structured light scanners we can scan many points, scanning the entire area of the field of view at one time. This is a great convenience and also saves time.

Structured light technology – the advantages that come with investing in 3D scanning

The advantages that come with investing in 3D structured light scanning:

• high print resolution,
• ability to scan a large area in less than 3 seconds,
• flexible and relatively low price in relation to the high performance of 3D scanners.

Structured light scanning is usually inexpensive. A huge advantage of this solution additionally turns out to be flexibility – each of us can use the services of scanning and printing companies with more or less advanced equipment, depending on our own preferences. If you do not need an extremely accurate scan, but only care about the speed of printing and possibly the strength of the prepared materials – you will pay a relatively low amount for 3D printing.

Space laser scanning – modern 3D scanning services for demanding customers

Laser scanning of space is used in many fields, while mainly in architecture and construction. The discussed technique can, in a relatively short period of time, visualize the appearance of such objects as:

• office buildings,
• industrial halls,
• marine structures,
• single-family houses,
• multi-family buildings.

A very important fact is that scanning services are an absolute must-have when it comes to modeling in the BIM environment. Using this technology, we can design cross-sections of objects and selected projections (such as single-family properties or industrial buildings).

Photogrammetry – precise scanning for 3D printing

Photogrammetry is part of 3D scanning services. This model works on a very simple principle, based on photographs of objects from various locations and angles. The most common uses of photogrammetry include:

• generating digital models;
• measuring distances, heights, and areas and volumes;
• producing accurate topographic maps.

With the 3D digital model produced, we can measure the resulting product very precisely.

Advantages of photogrammetry – 3D scanning in practice

There are many advantages of photogrammetry. Among the most important are the following:

• efficient data collection,
• accurate results,
• ability to use one scanned area for multiple analyses,
• the highest efficiency among currently available 3D scanning methods,
• the ability to visualize and analyze in full-color models.

You can use photogrammetry for environmental monitoring and infrastructure planning and design. If you have questions about our selected 3D scanning and printing services – email or call us. We will be glad to provide substantive advice.